Threads - BBC4 - 9 October 10.15pm

[AlecTrevelyan006]

Probably the most harrowing television show ever made, Threads follows the build up to and aftermath of a nuclear attack on Great Britain.

It is being broadcast for only the fourth time, and the first time since 2003.

If, like me, you watched it first time around you will never have forgotten it. If you’ve never seen it before, it is a must-watch - but prepare to be traumatised.

My view of Threads...

I have never seen this before, and it was absolutely devastating to watch. One of the best things I've seen on television. Really striking. And really mind-blowing.

When we saw that bomb go up in the air (just as it happened) I had goosebumps from head to toe.

And the blasts when people were being annihilated (like in the Terminator, when Sarah Connor is hanging onto the wire fence,) was chilling. The aftermath from it, people cold and hungry and pillaging and devastated was horrible to see. (And oh that poor cat.)

And I've also said to myself that I would actually stay outside, and throw myself into the path of the bomb destruction. just to get hit straight away rather than die from the fallout over a number of weeks or months. (From hypothermia, dehydration, starvation, skin falling away etc.)

But I wonder if something would take over and your instinct would be to try and survive...? I just don't know.

For something 40 years old, and I think done on a little bit of a budget, this was really top quality. TV. Very well done. Touching, disturbing, mind-blowing, and bone-chilling.

The thing that makes it bone-chilling is the fact that this actually could happen. This isn't about some alien invasion (that is really unlikely to happen.) This is something that could happen. I'm stunned.

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Well I can say with total certainty I will never be watching that again, I expected it to be bleak but it was relentless and its going to stay with me for a long time, its terrifying that this could happen to our planet. I think with it being an older film and not HD with glossy CGI made it more realistic. God help us all if this ever takes place.

There's a line in Children of the Dust that's never left me. It's when the main character in the first section is screaming inwardly about being just a fifteen year old girl who had done nothing wrong.

All these people and children who have done nothing wrong, and these lunatic, sociopathic men leaders would wipe us out with the push of a button. Plus our beautiful green and blue planet and all the animals we share it with.

I remember the adults talking about Threads and being horrified by it, but I was only eight. I can't comprehend the reasoning behind showing it to school kids.

I watched it on YouTube a few years ago. I couldn't stop thinking about that couple who die under their stairs, of of Ruth's damaged white eyes.

Having seen it 40 years ago when I was 29 I'm glad it has had the same impact on people watching it for the first time. Not that I want people to be terrified but I thought it might have seemed less scary to people used to high definition and AI.

All these people and children who have done nothing wrong, and these lunatic, sociopathic men leaders would wipe us out with the push of a button. Plus our beautiful green and blue planet and all the animals we share it with

it is horrifying. There is something very wrong with all these male leaders who think it's fine to kill people and animals, as well as destroy culture, for their own ambitions. Whether Putin, Hitler, Stalin or whoever. Doesn't even need to be nuclear - we have seen time and time again what damage can be caused by conventional warfare.

Such a pity it can't go back to 2 armies beating shit out of each other in a field for a couple of hours.

No guns allowed. Just pointed sticks and swords. Winner takes all.

This in absolute spades. Who the F do these powerful and influential men think they are?! It's upsetting, and infuriating, and makes me so angry to think these men think they have the right to shit all over our beautiful planet, and all the nature and birds and animals etc. NO-ONE should be allowed to have the power to do this.

That is actually happening in the Ladakh between India and China. They are bulldozing boulders at each other because it means they don't violate the no fire treaty

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13426353/china-india-stone-age-fighting-border-2020-2021.html

Omg it was so horrible

I had to switch it off about ten mins after the bomb hit

It’s not just ‘could happen’

The time distance between us and the 80s, when Threads came out (and had such an impact on so many of us) is roughly the same amount of time as between the release of Threads and when we bombed Japan with nuclear weapons.

Not that I want people to be terrified but I thought it might have seemed less scary to people used to high definition and AI.

I fell asleep but will watch it on iPlayer. DH watched about 40 mins & turned off. He didn’t find is shocking, maybe we are desensitised?

I agree with this. There seems to be this tendency (from some) to romanticise the 1980s - and yes there was a lot of good films and good TV and it was 'a simpler time' in some ways.. And people (especially Gen X) have good memories moreso than some others because many of them would have been children/teenager/young adults with no or few responsibilities then. And I think something in the brain, tends to make people remember the good times more, and airbrush out the bad times.

I was an 80s child & think my childhood was far more innocent than todays dc. That doesn’t mean there wasn’t hardship or issues I just they have got worse.

That's what concerned me but but several posters seem to have found it as shocking as I did.

I wouldn't say several posters. I would say most posters.

I think that's at the end of The War Game.
https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/100-voices/coldwar/war-game/

It starts quite slowly, maybe he hadn’t got to the awful bit.
I think also the reason it’s so hard to watch is that it’s not just one awful minute when the bomb drops, it just keeps on going with more and more ways to be awful. After the bomb comes the fire and then the radiation sickness and then the cold and the hunger and the ultra violet light and the unremitting labour as we go back to preindustrial life. It’s 2 hours or so long, 40 minutes doesn’t really do it justice.

I saw it when it was first on tv in 1984. I was 22 at the time and my brother was 18. It scared the life out of both of us. This thread has brought it back to me how harrowing it was, especially in light of what is happening in the world now.

I remember going into work the following day and everyone was talking about it. There seemed a really sombre atmosphere around the office, as if some momentous real life event had taken place. It was very surreal.

Would I watch it again? Possibly. DH has never seen it and says he has no desire to.

That would fit time-wise because apparently it was broadcast in July 1985.

I watched it when it first came out, scared the living daylights out of me being just out of my teens, so much I sobbed really sobbed when it was on TV. Reminded me of the protect and survive public info campaign in both schools and the leaflets we got at home which also really scared me.

I think it hit hard because it was so, well normal, just people going about normal day to day things then bam.....no CGI, no gimmicks just what could happen. The whole put the doors up against a wall with mattresses and hopefully that would protect you as you hide behind with water and food, but then the aftermath of loved ones dying, it was the first time I knew of seeing of what could actually happen after a bomb.

I watched it again a good few years ago as my DH had never seen it, he was shocked at how terrifying this could be, but how well done the film was. Had the same effect on my and I also said I would rather die first than live through what would be a truly awful existence.

The 80's for all the fun side, as said by others had a lot worrying issues, same as today.

I read a PP say 'that poor cat', and that's enough for me. I can watch just about anything but can't handle animal cruelty or suffering. 😢😢
I won't be watching, but it does interest me and I have read a lot about it.

Apparently the writhing of the cat was caused by a large amount of catnip and the tape was then played backwards, so thankfully no suffering was involved.

There’s a couple of bits in it with animals that are quite sad. Cats, dogs, a deceased sheep, and lots of mice and rats. It’s definitely an unpleasant watch. Seeing what happened to the people is even worse. I was almost in tears a few times.

@Handyweatherstation I actually cried when they showed the cat. I'm glad it was having a good time in real life.

Agree, it's a relief to know it was just high!

I think it's more shocking than anything more modern and slick. It's very well done but pulls no punches and is extremely gritty. I don't think modern-day blockbuster disaster flicks have quite the same affect.